Push Pause on Pekel
The Issue
Push Pause on Pekel
On November 27th, 2023, the Superintendent for the Rochester Public Schools (RPS) introduced sweeping and devastating changes to RPS, including redrawing districts that had only recently been redrawn, which will affect ALL RPS students. Changes also include closing schools, some that critically serve those in need, and removing choice schools in Rochester (these become neighborhood schools first, current DWO kids will not need to participate in a lottery if there is room, and the curriculum for each existing choice school is only guaranteed for one year, according to Dr. Pekel himself in his presentation of the proposal). Referring to the presentation (at 1:13 of https://www.youtube.com/live/N8N2zz1HRzU?feature=shared ) it must be underscored that the curriculum guarantee is for this first year only. Also, point number one, that a school becomes a neighborhood school first and those outside may attend, if there is space (if not, there will be a lottery system to determine which students outside transportation zone can attend) is not independent of point #2 on DWO. Point #2 states that current DWO students will not have to participate in a lottery but this must assume point #1 is satisfied (that there is room for these students once filled as neighborhood schools).
Dr. Pekel has provided conflicting information on the need for these changes, he has said this was TWO years in the making, this was charged to him in June 2023, or is urgent because of the recently failed technology referendum.
According to Pekel, changes are needed because of changing start times, which was underscored by Board Chair Cathy Nathan at the November 28th, 2023 school board meeting.
No dollar amount for all of the individual changes has been presented to the BOARD or the public. The Board itself had many questions about this proposal at the November 28th Board meeting. They had known the details of the proposal for FOUR days yet this dramatic proposal is to be voted on in TWO months.
Therefore, we sign this letter to urge the duly elected School Board (who are, themselves, long-time RPS stakeholders) to Push Pause on Pekel and his consultant team who came up with this plan. The board should simply vote to keep school start times as they are for now, giving them and our community time to come up with a more thoughtful and less sweeping and detrimental plan.
The Concerned Stakeholders of Rochester Public Schools
The Issue
Push Pause on Pekel
On November 27th, 2023, the Superintendent for the Rochester Public Schools (RPS) introduced sweeping and devastating changes to RPS, including redrawing districts that had only recently been redrawn, which will affect ALL RPS students. Changes also include closing schools, some that critically serve those in need, and removing choice schools in Rochester (these become neighborhood schools first, current DWO kids will not need to participate in a lottery if there is room, and the curriculum for each existing choice school is only guaranteed for one year, according to Dr. Pekel himself in his presentation of the proposal). Referring to the presentation (at 1:13 of https://www.youtube.com/live/N8N2zz1HRzU?feature=shared ) it must be underscored that the curriculum guarantee is for this first year only. Also, point number one, that a school becomes a neighborhood school first and those outside may attend, if there is space (if not, there will be a lottery system to determine which students outside transportation zone can attend) is not independent of point #2 on DWO. Point #2 states that current DWO students will not have to participate in a lottery but this must assume point #1 is satisfied (that there is room for these students once filled as neighborhood schools).
Dr. Pekel has provided conflicting information on the need for these changes, he has said this was TWO years in the making, this was charged to him in June 2023, or is urgent because of the recently failed technology referendum.
According to Pekel, changes are needed because of changing start times, which was underscored by Board Chair Cathy Nathan at the November 28th, 2023 school board meeting.
No dollar amount for all of the individual changes has been presented to the BOARD or the public. The Board itself had many questions about this proposal at the November 28th Board meeting. They had known the details of the proposal for FOUR days yet this dramatic proposal is to be voted on in TWO months.
Therefore, we sign this letter to urge the duly elected School Board (who are, themselves, long-time RPS stakeholders) to Push Pause on Pekel and his consultant team who came up with this plan. The board should simply vote to keep school start times as they are for now, giving them and our community time to come up with a more thoughtful and less sweeping and detrimental plan.
The Concerned Stakeholders of Rochester Public Schools
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Petition created on November 29, 2023